The professional world: an arena
The gladiator closes his eyes. No surroundings to take in, with the darkness around. Outside, the arena. Lots of gladiators have fought there beforehand, and some have even won their freedom. A couple of them are among the wealthier citizens present: senators, merchants. To think that they were once like him.
He breathes deeply. After years of fighting in the training arenas, this is his first big fight. A fight for a chance to live in a better condition than now. Not the only such opportunity, but best to take the first that comes by.
He wonders whom he will face: people from his training arenas, or people from others? What if he isn’t good enough?
Five long years of training. Mental and physical. And now, the chance to get away from the training, into the real thing, with the prospect of better food and perhaps even control of what he does.
If he beats the others, a senator or a merchant will take him under his wing. He might then sell him to another one. Might be a good thing, too: it could mean new things to learn or to do.
The gladiator feels a shiver go down his spine. The time has come.
A voice outside roars: “Let the games begin”.
Back to real life.
Well, it’s that kind of moment: most people in my year at university are getting ready to enter the professional world in a few months. Interviews a plenty, walking dinners and all that jazz. I’m taking another year of studies, but I’m starting to feel like the gladiator any way.
21 February 2009 at 01:33
Kinda feels like walking on air, doesn’t it? You’re not sure what to do at first.